Apparatus for carbonizing coal



June 7, 1932. FL PUENING APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL Filed Aug. 131925 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR W? M fl ir F mvE F. PUENING June 7, 1932.

APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL Filed Aug. 15, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2YINVENTOR June 7, 1932. F. PUENING 1,861,583

APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL.

Filed Aug. 13, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.6 Z 29 INVENTOR June 7, 1932.F. PUENING 1,861,583

APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL Filed Aug. 13, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES FRANZ PUENING, OFASPINWALL, PENNSYLVAIIA APPARATUS FOR OABBONIZING COAL Application filedAugust 18, 1925. Serial Ilo. 50,011.

. sion of an improved apparatus possessin the following advantages,taken either sing y or in various combinations: The uniform heating of astationary body of coal or other carbonaceous material; a continuouscokmg process wherein the coal is undisturbed during heat treatment;providlng a continuous supply of coal past a plurality of cokingreceptacles, in volume exceeding that required to fill the rece tacles,so that the coal which is conducted rst past filled receptacles or traysto those which are more remote will not be permaturely heated;simultaneously charging the trays or other receptacles; continuouslyremovmg the coke from the trays, and to simplify and improve generallythe structure, operation and processes of heattreating materials.

The invention of the present application is similar in certain of itsaspects to that of my Patent No. 1,698,349, granted January 8,

1929. Such similarities include the provision of a plurality ofcontinuous annular spaces or carbonizing chambers that alter nate withheating chambers to form a structural unit and of a second structuralunit for supplying coal to the carbonizing chambers, the structuralunits being relatively rotatable. In each arrangement, .coal iscontinuously supplied to the carbonizing chambers and the carbonizedmaterial is continuously removed therefrom.

Some of the forms of apparatus by means of which my invention may bepracticed are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is avertical sectional view of a portion of the apparatus, taken on the line1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line22 of Fig. 1'; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 isa sectional view of the piston for reciprocating heating gases,

taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a view, on an enlarged scale,of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a view similar toFig. 3, but showing a modified form of apparatus; Fig. 8 is a view takenon the line 88 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the manner inwhich the rotatable carrier of Fig. 7 is driven, and Fig. 10 is a-viewshowing a tray of different form than those of Figs. 1 and 7.

As stated above, my invention is shown as employed in connection withthe coking or carbonization of coal. The apparatus comprises a brickwork10, preferably of circular cross section, which is provided withchambers and passages for heating gases, as hereinafter set forth, andis supported by a series of steel posts 11. The brickwork 10 is providedwith a central passage 12, through which heating ases may enter and alsowith a pair of cham ers 13 and 14 that communicate through conduits 15and 16-, respectively (Fig. 2) with a chamber 17 in which an oscillatorypiston 18 is mounted for oscillation in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed. 75

A cylindrical casting 20 is mounted upon the brickwork 10 and isprovided with a. series of inclined shelves or trays 21 upon which thecoal to be treated is placed.

A cylindrical casing or housing'22 sul rounds the member 20, havingspaced relation therewith. The housing 22 is provided at its lower edgewith a flange 23 that extends into an annular groove 24 which containswater or sand, so that a. Water or sand seal is provided against theescape of coal gases. At its top the housing 22 is provided with adownturned flange 25 which extends into an annularly recessed member 26that contains water or sand to seal the top of the housing 22 againstthe escape of gases from the coal heated within the housing An annulartrough 27 is fixedly mounted beneath the rotatable housing 22.

A coal hopper 28 is provided, having a chute 29 extending into andsecured to the housing 22, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the coal can flowfrom the chute to the trays.

The housing 22 is secured to an annular Q framework 30 that is providedwith a circular I rack bar 31 which is driven by a toothed gear wheel 31that is secured to a shaft 33. A portion of the underside of the bar 31is left smooth, so that it may be supported by untoothed idler rollers32 carried by shafts 33 and 33. The shafts 33 and 33 are mounted inbearings that are supported upon I-beams 34 which are mounted on aframework 35, so that the coal hopper 28 is ultimately supported by theframe 35.

The trays 21, as well as the parts enclosed thereby, are stationary,while the housing, together with the coal hopper, are rotated by meansof a pulley 36 secured to the shaft 33 and rotated from any suitablesource of power. are stationary so that as the pulley 36 is rotated thegear wheel 31 will, by reason of its engagement with the rac 31, causerotation of the housing 22. As the housing 22 rotates the coal will flowfrom the chute 29 to the various trays 21, in the manner shown in Fig.4. The coal is preferably fed through the chute 29 in quantity greaterthan that required to fill the shelves and the surplus coal will passout of the end of the chute 29 to the trough 27 from whence it isscraped into a chute 37, by a scraper 41 that is carried by the housing22, at some distance to the rear of the chute 29. A dischargingmechanism 37 is attached to the bottom of chute 37 from which the coalmay be returned in any suitable manner as by a conveyor, (not shown) tothe hopper 28. The discharging mechanism 37 a so retards the flow ofcoal through chute 37 as to form a seal which prevents escape of coalgases. This arrangement insures not only an ample supply of coal to fillthe trays but the supply is in such volume that coal passing theup-pe-rtrays is not excessively. heated or partially coked before reaching thelower trays, as perhaps would be the case if coal were fed through thechute 29 in quantity only sufficient to fill the trays. The chute 29terminates some distance above the coal collecting trough 27 so that thecoal will flow freely. Spring-pressed plungers 38. (Figs. 4 and 6) areprovided for yieldingly holding the chute 29 against the trays 21, andbraces 39 are provided for rigidly holding the chute 29 in propervertical alignment, against the drag resulting from movement of thehousing 22 around the trays, the braces being welded or otherwisesecured to the housing 22 and the chute. The chute 29 is widened withinthe housing 22, and partitioned so as to form supplementary chutes 40(Fig. 4) so that spilled or surplus coal which overflows the edges ofthe trays will be directed to the trough 27.

A series of scrapers 46one for each trayare secured to the housing 22 insuch position that their forward pointed ends extend into the spacesbetween adjacent trays, in the The axes of the shafts 33 and 33 annershown in Figs. 3 and 4; The housing ..2 rotates in the directionindicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, and the scrapers 46 are in ad- Vanceof the coal deli-very chute 29, so that the trays will be cleared of thecoal'that was deposited during the previous revolution of the housing 22and which has meantime been carbonized or coked. The trays are heated,in a manner to be hereinafter described, and the housing 22 is rotatedat such rate of speed relative to the temperature of the trays and thevolume of coal deposited thereon that the heattreatment of the coaldeposited on the trays will be completed during the period required fora single revolution of the housing. This arrangement permits ofcontinuous operation of the apparatus, and insures uniformity ofproduct.

A flanged cover 48 (Fi 6) is secured to the housing 22 at a point neaththe scrappers 46, by means of a casting 48, so that the coke which isremoved from the trays 21 will fall upon the coal trough cover 48 andslideinto a stationary trough 49 from which it is removed by ploughs 50that are also secured to the housing 22. The trou h 49 is provided withannular flanges 51 etween which an annular flange 52 carried by thehousing 22 is disposed, so that a water or sand seal may be providedagainst the escape of coal gases. The coal gases formed during theprocess may be conducted away from the apparatus through an outlet pipe53 (Fig. 3).

In order to prevent the newly formed coal gas from entering the surpluscoal trough 27, I supply a quantity of dry gas to the coal trough 27,through the pipe 54. In this manner I create a slight pressure withinthe trough 27 so that the newly formed coal gases carrying tar vaporscannot enter the trough where their vapors would be condensed and causethe surplus coal to become a pasty mass.

The trays may be uniformly heated by means of heating ases circulatedsomewhat after the manner shown in my prior patents, No. 1,542,954 andNo. 1,542,955, issued June 23, 1925, but I will briefly describe themanner in which heating gases are circulated through the present systemin order to effect uniform heating of the trays, and thereforeuniformity of product. The heat' gases, for carbonizing the coal, areconducte to the chambers and passages within the traysupporting cylinder20, through the inlet 12.

The piston 18 is secured to a shaft that may be oscillated by a crankarm 61 which is connected to a reciprocating rod 62. The rod 62 may bemoved back and forth in any desired manner, as. for instance that shownin my Patent 1,542,955. Exhaust pipes 63 and 64 are connected to theouter ends of conduits as that shown in my said patent may be providedfor closing the valves 65 in exhaust 15 and 16. respectively, andmechanism such with conduits 15 pipe 63 when the iston is moving inaclockwise direction as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. This preventsheating gases being driven from the conduit 15 through the exhaust.Simultaneously valve 66 in exhaust pipe 64 is opened so that wasteheating gases may be exhausted from the conduit 16. When the piston 18is moved in the opposite direction, the positions of the valves 65 and66 will be reversed since the piston will then force heatin gasesthrough the conduit 16 and the ex aust from the conduit 15 must beopened so that some of the cooled gases can be conducted away, to permitentry of additional hot gases through the conduit 12.

When the piston 18 is moving in a clockwise direction, as above exlained, a flow of gas is set up through conduit 15, chamber 13,

passages 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72 and 73 to the chamber 14 and conduit 16,since the conduit communicates with that portion of the chamber 17 tothe right hand side of the piston 18. A combined pressure and vacuumefl'ect is thus secured by the piston, in the conduits 15 and 16,respectively, to efl'ect movement of the gases as above referred to. Atthis time a small amount of gas will exhaust through the pipe 64 topermit entry of heated gases through the conduit 12, as above explained.Vhen the gas is flowing in the direction indicated by the arrows, asabove described, heated gases in volume substantially equal to thatexhausted through pipe 64 will enter the chamber 14 through erforations77 that are located in one wall 0 the conduit '12.

Upon its return stroke, in a counter clockwise direction, the pistonwill force gases through the conduit 16, in directions reverse to thoseabove described, surplus gas being then exhausted through pipe 63 andbeing replaced by heated gases which enter thes stem through the conduit12 and openings 78.

The as in passing through the passage heats tfie cylinder 20 and trays21 and thereby efiects carbonization of the coal, as above explained.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 I have shown apparatus which is similar in manyrespects to that of Figs. 1 to 6. This apparatus comprises a cylindricalcasting 80 supported upon brickwork 81 that is provided with a conduit12 through which heating gases may enter, and and 16, the conduits 12,15 and 16 of Fig. 2. The gases may be reciprocated through the system bymeans of the apparatus shown in one of my patents above referred to, orin any other suitable manner, and flow from conduit 15 through passages82 and circumferential channels or heating chambers 83, in bothdirections, meeting at the point 84 from where they flow throughopenings 84 and 85 to conduit 16. Fresh heating gases enter the systemfrom the conduit 12", through passages 102 alternately in oppositedirections, de-V corresponding to' p ding upon the direction of flowthrough tlli conduits 15 and 16.

In this form of device, as in the form shown in Fig. 1, the trays 86,which constitute the floors of annular coking chambers, are stationaryand a housing 87 is provided with an annular rack 88 that engages withgear wheel 89, driven from any suitable source of power, and the housingthereby rotated. Only one gear wheel 89 is required, a series of idlingrollers 90 bein ing the housing 87. g shaft 91 is mounted in bearingssecured to the housing 87 and has a gear wheel 92 which meshes with agear wheel 93. The gear wheel 93 in turn meshes with a gear ring 94 thatis fixedly mounted upon a frame 95 which is in turn supported upon thebrickwork 81. Other gear wheels, of various ratios, may be substitutedfor the gear wheels 92 and 93 or such gear wheels interchanged in orderto vary the rate of speed of rotation relative to the rotary movement ofthe housing 87. It will be seen that as the housing 87 is rotated thegear wheels 93 and 92 will be also rotated by reason of their connectionwith the gear ring 94.

Charging discs 96 are secured to the shaft '91 and project into thespaces above the trays 86. A coal hopper 28 and chutes 29 are carried bythe housing 87 so as to cause coal to be deposited upon the discs 96.Rotation of these discs will carry the coal to the spaces above thetrays and the coal will then be scraped from the discs on to the traysby scrapers 97 that are pivotally connected to the housing 87 as shownin Fig. 8. Scrapers 46* are secured to the housing 87 at a point inadvance of the discs 96 so as to remove the coke from the trays as thehousing is rotated. The coal gases are conducted from the housing 87through a draw-off pipe 53. The housing 87 is provided with flangedextensions 98 and 99 that cooperate with annular channels containingwater or sand to provide a seal against escape of coalgases.

Leveling bars 103 (Fig. are provide for spreading the coal upon thetrays, such bars being secured to the housing 87 to the rear of thescrapers 97.

The coke is discharged from the trays through a hopper 100 by the cokedischarging mechanism 101 that is provided for the purpose of preventingescape of coal gases to the atmosphere. r

If desired, coal trays for the coal and coke and ploughs or scrapers forremoving the coal and coke therefrom may be provided in the structuresof Figs. 7 to 9, as in the case of the structure of Figs. 1 to 6.Furthermore, inspection doors or openings may be provided in the wallsof the apparatus so that the provided for supportfor the coal so thatheat is more readily transferred thereto. Also, the coke made on a trayof the above description will have the form of the grooves instead ofbeing a thin flat piece. The coke in the depressions will be of thickercross section and therefore not so easily broken into pieces so small asto have considerably less market value than the larger pieces.

It is contemplated that the position of the trays and the coal chutesmay be reversed. That is the trays may be disposed circumferentially ofthe coal chute instead of the coil chutes being disposed at theperiphery of the trays.

I claim as my invention:

1. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternatelysuperposed annular carbonizing recesses and heating walls, the formerbeing closed at one circumference of their annular contour and beingwholly independent of each other and separated by the heating walls,said set of alternately superposed annular recesses and heating wallsforming a structural unit, and a casing surrounding said superposedrecesses and heating walls and forming a second structural unit, one ofthe structural units being rotatable relatively to the other.

2. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternatelysuperposed annular carbonizing recesses and annular heating recesses,one of these two sets of annular recesses being closed at their innercircumference and being wholly independent of each other, and the otherannular recesses being closed at their outer circumference and open attheir inner, said set of alternately superposed annular carbonizingrecesses and heating recesses forming a structural unit, a casingsurrounding said superposed carbonizing recesses and heating recessesand forming a second structural unit, one of the structural units beingrotatable relatively to the other.

3. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternatelysuperposed annular carbonizing recesses and heating walls, the formerbeing closed at their inner circumference and being wholl independent ofeach other and separated y the heating walls, said set of alternatelysuperposed annular recesses and heating walls forming a structural unit,and a casing surrounding said superposed recesses and heating walls andforming a second structural unit, one of the structural units beingrotatable relatively to the other.

4. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, :1 plurality of sugerposed trays,heating walls for heating sai trays, means for continuously moving astream of coal past said trays, and

means for withdrawing a portion only thereof to fill the trays.

5. In a paratus for carbonizing-coal, a plurality o trays, heating wallsfor uniformly heatin each of said trays and for separating said trays,means for continuously supplying untreated coal to each of said trays,and means for continuously removing carbonized coal from all of saidtrays simultaneously.

6. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a plurallty of stationarysuperposed annular trays, heating walls for uniformly heating each ofsaid trays, and means for continuously supplying untreated coal to eachof said trays simultaneously from a moving body of coal.

7. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a plurality of superposed trays,annular heatmg walls for heating said trays, means for continuouslycharging each of said trays wlth untreated coal, and means forcontinuously removing treated coal from each of said trays at the rateat which they are charged.

8. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a plurality of superposed annulartrays, heatmg walls for separating and for heating said trays, a scraperrotatable about the axis of each of said trays for removing the treatedcoal therefrom, a movable chute for supplymg untreated coalto all ofsaid trays, and means for rotating the scrapers and the chute at suchspeed that coal is deposited to the rear of the scrapers and is treatedduring substantially one revolution of said scrapers.

9. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a cylindrical frame whose axis isvertical and which is provided with a plurality of annular trays uponone of its curved peripheries, heating walls between said trays, saidtrays each being inclined from its outer edge downwardly to the wall ofthe cylinder, and means for simultaneously supplying material to becarbonized to each of said trays, and means movable with the supplyingmeans for removing carbonized material from said trays.

10. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a vertical cylindrical frame andprovided with a plurality of alternate superposed annular trays andheating walls upon one of its curved peripheries, a chute for supplyingeach of said trays with material to be carbonized, and means forremoving carbonized material from said trays.

11. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a stationary vertical frame thatis circular in cross-section and provided with a plurality of superposedannular trays upon one of its curved peripheries, heating walls for eachof said trays, said trays each being inclined from its outer edgedownwardly to the wall of the cylinder, and adapted to receive materialfor heat treatment, and means for supstationary superposed annular memesplying untreated material to and removing treated material from each ofsaid trays simultaneously.

12. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a vertical cylindrical frameprovided with a plurality of separate superposed annular trays upon oneof its curved peripheries, said trays each being inclined from its outeredge downwardly to the wall of the cylinder and adapted to receivematerial for heat treatment, and heating walls between said trays.

13. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a vertical cylindrical frameprovided with a plurality of separate superposed annular coking recessesupon one of its walls and opening outwardly therefrom, heating walls forsaid coking recesses, and all of said coking recesses being adapted toreceive material simultaneously for heat treatment, and means forcontinuously removing treated material from said coking recesses.

1 1. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a series of superposed annulartrays having their inner edges secured to a cylindrical framework, awall partially enclosing said trays and framework but spaced from theouter edges of said trays, and means for supplying a stream of coalbetween said wall and said trays.

15. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a series of superposed annulartrays having their inner edges secured to a cylindrical framework, awall partially enclosing said trays and framework but spaced from theouter edges of said trays, and means for supplying a stream of coalbetween said wall and said trays, the said wall and the coal supplyingmeans being movable relatively to the trays, circumferentially thereof.

16. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, a series of superposed annulartrays each having one of its edges secured to a cylindrical framework, awall partially enclosing said trays and framework but spaced from thefree edges of said trays, and means for supplying a stream of coalbetween said wall and said trays, the said wall and the coal supplyingmeans being movable relatively to the trays, circumferentially thereof.

In testimony whereof I, the said FRANZ PUENING, have hereunto set myhand.

FRANZ PUENING.

